Quiet Dem race may turn into bare-knuckled brawl

The Democratic presidential contest has thus far been a snoozfest. Bernie Sanders has attracted big, young and enthusiastic crowds, but when asked to take the fight to Hillary Clinton he has mostly demurred.

The tone was set in the party's first debate when at the height of public interest in the Clinton email scandal, Sanders exclaimed that he and the American public were tired of hearing about the front-runner's "damn emails." Clinton laughed approvingly and shook his hand. "Thank you, Bernie," she said, with visions of a coronation dancing in her head.

No more. On Friday, Sanders sued the Democratic National Committee, saying it was witholding crucial voter information that was costing the campaign $600,000 in donations a day. The Clinton campaign accused Sanders' team of theft. Sanders accused the Clintonite DNC of sabotage.

It's too soon to know whether the data breach was more significant act of wrongdoing than the Sanders campaign has admitted or whether it is being used by the DNC as a pretext for typical Clinton hardball tactics. The party notably cut off Sanders the day after he won two major endorsements and the day before the Democrats were to debate in New Hamsphire, the one early state where Sanders is generally in the lead.